Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter and any of the characters mentioned hereafter. They belong to the incredible JK Rowling. I am not making a single cent out of this. I wish I did, and was.
[A/N: I thought I had included an explanation of why Harry didn't recognize the keychain at once (yes, he will recognize it :D ) You might not realize it, but 5 years is a very long time, and you wouldn't naturally keep track of everything you give, or remember it for that matter. Unless you were reminded. However, you do remember the things that were given to you, and most of the time, the person who gave it.
Anyway, here ya go. Thanks to those who reviewed the first chapter. Enjoy :)]
Harry and Ginny were at last, the only ones sitting in the common room. Ginny noticed this.
`So, Harry,' she said, grinning mischievously. `What do you think we should do now?'
Harry grinned back sheepishly.
`I don't know, but I have I feeling I'm about to find out,' he teased, as she came closer to him, leaning in for a kiss.
But before their lips could touch, Harry turned his head to the left, and exclaimed, `I gave it to her!'
Put out, Ginny hung her head.
`How could I forget it? It was her first birthday gift from me!' Harry continued, shaking his head, and standing up.
`Whose?' Ginny asked uninterestedly.
`Hermione's!' he replied, chuckling now.
But Ginny wasn't laughing.
`You were thinking about Hermione before we kissed?'
Harry stopped laughing, too.
`Yeah. I mean, no! Not like that,' he added, seeing the look on her face. `I just happened to remember it at that moment.'
She didn't look amused, or convinced.
`What? Are you jealous?'
`Well, I don't know, Harry, this wasn't the first time you were thinking of her - '
`So I'm not allowed to think of Hermione now?' said Harry, irritated.
`Not when we're about to kiss!' shouted Ginny.
`We weren't kissing last week, when you got all jealous again!' yelled Harry back.
`But you just had to see Hermione, right?'
`I told you I promised!' said Harry loudly. `I can't believe you're bringing all this up again, Ginny.'
`I wouldn't, if I only understood the "friendship" between the two of you!' said Ginny, standing up as well.
`And just what do you mean by that?'
`Oh, and I suppose it's normal for a girl to be overly worried about a boy, constantly be there for him, and not at all be attracted to him?' scoffed Ginny.
`Yes, Ginny. It's called "being friends" with somebody,' said Harry coolly.
`So why isn't she like that with Ron?'
This question silenced him. He wanted to argue back, but what was there to argue? What she said was true. Hermione isn't like that with Ron. She doesn't over-fuss, and he can certainly count on her for her loyalty to him, on anything, in spite of her better judgment sometimes.
`Look, Ginny,' he said finally. `Hermione and I are friends. That's all there is to it.'
`Then how come you don't look like you believe that?' said Ginny coldly, turning on her heel and heading to the direction of the girl's dormitory.
Harry collapsed into one of his favorite armchairs near the fire. `Women,' he muttered.
***
Saturday morning dawned on the Hogwarts grounds pleasantly. Birds were singing cheerfully, the sun was shining brightly, and there was a promise of a wonderful day. But Harry thought otherwise.
His fight with Ginny last night had left him thinking. As he got up from his bed, he tried to recall his thoughts.
He hardly ever has fights with Ginny, only when it comes to Hermione, which is strange because the two of them seem to get along perfectly. Ginny's never angry with Hermione, either. It's always his fault, somehow. It's not like he could ask Hermione to be less of herself around him. She's not doing anything wrong at all. She's been like this since they were 11. What was it that Cho and Ginny saw about Hermione that he didn't? And how could he forget he had given her that keychain?
Harry went down for breakfast with Ron, talking about Quidditch strategies, and not what had happened last night. Hermione was already at the Gryffindor table, reading the Daily Prophet when they joined her.
`Good morning!' she said brightly. `Lovely day, isn't it? I think we should do our homework outside today.'
`That reminds me,' groaned Ron. `I haven't done Flitwick's 12 inch essay yet!'
`How am I not surprised?' said Hermione dully.
Harry remembered what Ginny had said, and on impulse, decided to see if it was true.
`I haven't done mine, either,' he lied in what he hoped was a casual tone. In truth, he had done half of it, after Transfiguration yesterday.
`But you had time yesterday, Harry!' cried Hermione quickly. `You were free after Transfiguration. And before dinner. How could you not do it?'
A dull sentence for Ron, and a scolding for Harry. Ginny was right: Hermione does treat them differently.
At that precise moment, Ginny sat down next to him, and held his hand.
`Can I talk to you in private?' she asked quietly.
`O-okay,' agreed Harry.
As he left the Great Hall with Ginny, he caught Hermione's questioning eyes. He shook his head slightly to let her know nothing was wrong. Ron didn't seem to notice a thing.
`I wanted to apologize for yesterday,' stated Ginny, once they were out of the Great Hall.
`Yeah, me too,' he admitted.
They went through the oak doors, and sat on the steps outside.
`Look, Harry, I really like you, but I'm not so sure you feel the same way about me,' she declared, making him turn his head to look at her.
`But you're with me, aren't you? That pretty much says a lot, Ginny,' he argued.
She suppressed a scoff. This was like talking to a year old for the obvious.
`Okay, I'll ask you another question that will make you doubt your feelings towards me, like yesterday.' Harry opened his mouth to arguer further, but she put up her hand to stop him from doing so.
`Now,' she continued. `who's more important to you, Harry, me or Hermione?'
Harry refrained from answering for a while. On the one hand, saying Ginny sounds wrong, even in his head. On the other, Hermione has been there for him from the very beginning, and it made no sense living his life without her. The obvious answer was…
`Hermione, I knew it.' Ginny smiled almost gloatingly, before standing up.
`Wait,' he protested. `I didn't even say anything-'
`If it was me, Harry, you would have said so the moment I finished my question,' she informed him.
`So you're breaking up with me?'
Ginny bent down to kiss Harry on the lips. Pulling away, she said, `I believe, Harry, that due to the lack of feelings from your kisses, this shouldn't surprise you.'
`But Hermione and I are best friends!' he insisted.
She patted his head.
`Yes, Harry. Keep telling yourself that.'
Ginny left Harry on the steps, wondering exactly why she was so certain he had feelings for Hermione. If he did possess more-than-friendly feelings for her, why is it they've never gone out on a date-date?
Standing up and heading for the oak doors, Harry thought aloud, `Why indeed?'
***
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